Method of and apparatus for treating goods with fluids



H. R. ANDERS.

METHOD 0F AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING GOOD'S WITH FLUIDS. APPLICATION FILED DEC. I. 1916.

1,345,341, i Patented .IuIy 6, 1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

H. R. ANDERS.

METHOD 0F AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING GOODS WITH FLUIDS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. l, T916.

' Patented July 6, 1920.

4 sunmssnser 2.

vwentoz H. R. ANDERS.

METHOD 0F AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING GOODS WITH FLUIDS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. I,.19I6.

Patented July 6, 1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3 H. R. ANDERS.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING GOODS WITH FLUIDS.I

APPLICATION FILED DEC. I, I9I6.

Patented July 6, 1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4 mmm.

' UNITED STATES PATENT oFFiCE.

HANNS R. ANDERS, OF PERTH AMBOY, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE ROESSLER t HASSLACHER CHEMICAL CO., OF NEW YORK, N. Y.,'A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

METHOD 0F AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING GOODS WITH FLUIDS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 1, 1916. Serial No. 134,481.

To all who/m. t may concern Be it known that I, HANNs R. ANDERS, a subject of the Emperor of Austria, residing at Perth Amboy, in the county of Middlesex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods. of and Apparatus for Treating Groodsv with Fluids, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to methods and apparatus such -as are suitable for use. 1n-

bleaching, dyeing, washing, etc., goods, eX- tracting goods of vegetable, animal or mineral origin with solvents and for similar purposes for treating various kinds of goods. Solid goods in either the dry or the wet state, may be treated with gases as well as liquids by my new method and in the apparatus described. Industrial gases suitable for the purpose are oxygen, ozone, sulfur dioxid, chlorin, etc. One of the objects of the invention is to provide an apparatus suitable for adjusting and mechanically regulating the course of the fluid with relation to its equal and even distribution through the goods. This and other features and advantages will be clearly understood by reference to the accompanying drawings and description wherein I have shown and described one form of apparatus suitable for carrying out'my new method.

In the drawings, Figure 1 isea central vertical sectional view of one form of suitable apparatus embodying the invention, takenv apparatus; Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional View along the line 3 3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a perspective View showing the arrangement of channels and partitions within the apparatus; Fig. 5 is a front View in section of the inlet cap; Fig. 6 is a front view of the front wall of the vessel; Fig. 7 is a view, in transverse section, of the inside of the rear wall of the vessel, and Fig. 8 is a front view in section of the rear cap.

Similar numerals of reference Aindicate similar parts throughout the several views.

Referrin to the drawings, l indicates a vessel, pre erably cylindrical in form, made of wood, steel orv other suitable material, mounted on suitable supporting rollers 2, 2 carried by'bases 3. 4 indicates a flange carried by vessel 1 and passin between rollers 4tl in base 4b to restrain t e vessel against lateral movement. tated by means of rack 5, engaging pinion 6 on. shaft 7. The nature of the fluid with which the goods are to be treated may of course be of the most varied character and as the weight of the goods also varies considerably, both factors must be taken into consideration.v It is therefore sometimes necessary to use a material for vessel 1 which must be protected on the inside with a coat of paint, bakelite orother suitable material resistant to the effects of the liquor Patented Julyr 6, 1920.

The vessel may be roor other fluid, or to make the vessel itself of material exhibiting a similar resistance without the necessity of such interior protecting coating, as for instance of wood, soapstone, porcelain, earthenware or the like substances.

The interior of the vessel may be divided by suitable partitions 8a, 8b, 8c, 8d into a plurality, preferably four, of equal compartments, the partitions being made of material corresponding with that of the vessel or the vessel and its interior coating as the case may be. l

From the foregoing it will be noticed that the apparatus I prefer for the operation of my new method has no outside vat which would have to conform more or less with the shape of vessel 1 -and which, is usually adapted to hold the fluid with which the goods, held in a drum submerged in the fluid are to be treated but that Vessel l is not submerged and is the only container for both the goods and fluid.

Moreover the unperforated partitions and channels described below suggest, in connection with the particular function of vessel 1, that my new method of circulating the fluid and causing itnto penetrate the goods is conwhich are carried olit for instance, by means of a hollow 4drum within a vat, the drum holding the goods and communicating with the vat holding the fluid, by means such as for instance a great number of perforations in its walls.

For the better understandin of the process I shall describe by way 0` example the construction of the apparatus shown in the drawings, see Figs. 1 and 4, wherein the interior of the vessel 1 isv dividedinto four substantially equal compartments I, II, III and IV.

Tubes 9 extending centrally through vessiderably different from all the processes sell from end to end are inclosed within a suitableshell 10, also made of resistant material, to which shell are secured the partitions 8", 8", 8c and 8d respectively. The tubes 9 open at either end into chambers or heads 11 and 12 respectively; into chamber ll-steam may be admittedI through pipe 13 for the purpose of heating the fluid, while chamber 12 acts as a collector for the water condensed from the steam. Pipe 14, entering pipe 15 of wider diameter, acts as a siphon to discharge the water from chamber 12. 4

The shell 16 of chamber 11.and shell 17 of chamber 12 are' mounted in circular flanges 18? and 19a of hollow annular caps or chambers 18 and 19 respectively, which latter are pressed very tightly against the walls 20 and 21 respectively of vessel 1 by means of a set of springs 22 carried by any suitable means, the caps 18 and 19 being capable of rotary movement about shells 16 and 17 for the purpose (hereinater' described. I

For charging and discharging the co1npartments with goods, suitable manholes 23 are provided having covers 23a which latter are held in place and tightened by any suitable means.

As stated, capy 18 and wall 20 of vessel 1 are pressed against each other and each of the contacting walls is provided with a certain number of openings; the wall 20 for instance, is shown as provided with four openings 24, 25,26 and 27, (Fig. 6) located in the corners formed by the shell 10 and the inner edges of thel partitions 8", etc. the vessel rotating in the direction of the arrow.

The inner wall 18" of cap 18, contacting with wall 20 of vessell, has two openings 28 and 30 as 'seen in Fig. 5; opening 28 being the orifice of a flexible pipe 29 connecting the vessel with a storage tank for liquids (not shown). The other openingl 30 in wall 18", adjoining opening 28, is located as shown, to the left side ofbut below said opening 28.

Within compartments I, II, III and IV l* of vessel 1 is provided a system of channels which regulate the course of the fluid during its passage through the compartments and.

consequently also through the goods yto be treated.

This is illustrated in Fig. 3, which shows a front view of all the compartments as they .appearV with wall 2O removed. 38a indicates a channel, having as entrance thereto opening 24, (see Fig. 6) the channel running along the inner side of wall 20, radially of the vessel,adjacent partition 8a and in the angle formed by the line of intersection 'between the partition 8a and'wall20. At

its outer end it connects with a channel 39"L (seealso Fig, 4) extending at right angles to channel 38a and running lengthwise along the partition 8a from channel 38a to wall 21,

said channel 39a being' provided with slitsy ning lengthwise of the vessel.; at the opposite end thereof from channel 38a and in the angle formed by the line of intersection of partition 8" and the inner side of wall 21, a channel 43a connects opening 31 in wall 21 of vessel 1 (see Fig. 7) with the longitudinal channel 41". I and III are in the same relative location and run in the same relative directions, that is to say, if for instancepartition 8" is assumed to be in ahorizontal position (then 'the channels in compartment III would assume a similar relationship to those described in connection with compartment I, if after a rotation of 180 degrees compartment III comes to assume the same position. The channels in compartments II and IV have a similar relationship to those already described with regard to the channels in compartments I and III with Athe diference, however, that the location and direction of the channels is reversed as against the similar channels within compartments I and III. In compartment II radial channel 43" along front wall 20 connects opening 25 with longitudinal channel 41" running lengthwise the vessel along'the line of intersection bes tween the outer edge of partition 8" and the shell of vessel 1. Said longitudinal chan# nel 41" is also provided with perforations 42". Radial channel 38" along therear wall 21 of vessel 1, in the angle formed by the lincof intersection of the rear edge of partition 8c and wall 21, connects opening 32 in wall 21 with channel 39", provided with slots 40", running longitudinally along partition 8` from channel 38" tofront wall 20. The channels in compartments II and IV are in the same relative location and run in the same relative directions. The above explanation will give a clear understanding The channels in compartments of the arrangement ofV all thechannels with-` f in the four compartments.

Another feature important to establish the success 'of my new method of and apparatus for treating goods with fluids, concerns the circulation of air from one compartment to the other while the fluid is` lar arrangement of pipes being preferably provided at each end of vessel 1. From Fig. 1 itis obvious that the air must escape from the highest point while the fluid flows for instance into compartment I and fills it from the bottom upwardly; the air must therefore escape throughl the short end 44a of pipe 44 and thence through its lon end 44h, connecting compartments I and I@ with each other, while during the reversion of the vessel, when the liquor is flowing from compartment IV to compartment I the air will escape from the latter in a similar way through the like system of pipes on the other end of the vessel.

Rear wall 21 is provided with four openings 31, 32, 33 and 34, Fig. 7, said openings being located in the corners adjacent the shell 1l and partitions 8, etc.

The inner wall of cap 19, in contact with wall 21 is provided with but a single opening 35, (Fig. 8) which in its form is adaptj ed to register with any of the openings 31,

.32, 33 or 34 in wall 21. For the better understanding of the process it may be assumed that the upper rim of opening 35 lies horizontally at the beginning of the operation; an opening 36 is provided in the wall of shell 10 and there is a similar opening 37 through the wall of shell 10 at the other end of the vessel, so that the fluid may pass through the shell over steam heated tubes 9,

as hereinafter described. v

In order to provide means for regulating the flow of liquor during reverse rotation of the vessel, as hereinafter described. vI may provide a frame 48, in frontof the vessel, having inturned arms or flanges 50 and 51 arranged in the path of knob or projection 49 on cap 18. 52 indicates a shaft rotatably mounted in frame 48, provided with a handle 53 and carrying a hook or stop 54, adapted to be turned into and out of the path of projection 49. A similar arrangement (not shown) is provided at the other end of the vessel 1 to regulate the flow of liquor through cap 19.

I shall now describe how I may proceed to carry out a process of treating goods in theA apparatus described, for example, by treating goods with a solution of a substance carrying oxygen in available form. The goods are first placed in the compartments through the manholes in the shell of vessel 1, the several compartments being preferably completely filled, and after the covers are put on tightly I rotate vessel 1 in the direction of the arrow, Figs. 4 and 6, by imparting motion to pinion 6, the knob or projection 49 being incontact with stop 54 as shown` 1n` Fig. 2.

I' then admit the solution, hereafter simply called liquor, from the storage, tank (not shown) into the vessel 1 through pipe 29, the liquor passing through openlng 28 in the inner wall 18b of the cap 18'and` through opening 24 in wall 20 of vessel 1, and thence into compartment I through channels 38, 39a and slots- 40a and down through the goods through perforations 428L into channel 41a and thence to channel 43a. The vessel is rotated very slowly in the direction of the arrow, cap 18 andl pipe 29 remaining stationar after a revolution of vessel 1 for 22o 30l (l, rotation) opening 30, closely adjacent pipe 29 and its orifice 28 respectively, is for about of its field in communication with compartment II through opening 25 in wall 20; at the other end of vessel 1, cap 19 being stationary and wall 21 rotating, opening 35 is at the same time for of its field in communicationwith opening 31 and if the rotation continues to 45, then openings 31 and 35 come completely into registry to permit the full flow of liquor into the cap 19 through opening 31, in communication with channel 43a, opening 35 and thence into 'shell 1() through opening 36, thence through opening 37 into cap 18 and through openings 30 and 25 into compartment II. As communication with the supply tank is now cut off by wall 2 0 entirely covering orifice 28, it is obvious that the liquor must be discharged from compartment I into compartment II in the manner indicated.

If the rotation is continued to 90,- openings 28 and 25 come into communication with each other at the one end and at the other end opening 35 is cut off by wall 21; if now the rotation goes beyond 90, say to 112o 30', openings 28 and 25 are still in communication while openings 30 and 26 come into communication with each other and at the other end opening 35 comes into communication with opening 32, so that the flow of liquor passes through opening 36 and shell 10 into the compartment III by the course above described.

After a rotation of 135o plate 2O entirely cutsy ofl" the supply of liquor by covermg orifice 28, the lrear opening 32, however, being fully uncovered and as the rotation proceeds the liquor passes through openmgs 36 into the shell 10 to flow thence through openings 26 and 30 into compartment III, and so on.

In the description of the operation of the process up to now I have omitted, mentioning the function performed by the var1ous channels.

As shown in Fig. 4 the channels have a two-fold purpose, regulate the flow of the fluld, and the othei in that they serve to increase the surface of goods exposed to the fluid thus thlnning the block of material on which the fluid may act vand through which it may percolate, and 1t is b the 5important results of my new method of one in that .they serve to j the effect of this-andother means that solute certainty that the goods, by means ofl the most even distribution of fluid are thoroughl?y wetted with the fluid, if a liquor, the

.rco a tion of the fluid through the goods eing more complete than by an other method or apparatus I am aware o As to the regulation of the flow of the liquor in the example given, as erformed by the channels, it will be seen rom Figs. 3 and 4 that the liquor entering openinlr 24 passes through channel 38* into channe 39 to leave through slits provided on one or on both sides of the same. The liquor is thus forced to pass through a considerable number of slits whereby it will distribute over and percolate most evenly through the goods, entering through openings 42 into channels 41* and 43* and passing through openin r 31 into cap 19, whereu on it enters tliroug opening 36 into sliel 10, passes through the same and enters cap 1S through opening 37; the liquor passes then from ca 18 through opening 25 into channels 43 an 41 to finally )ass out through slots 42 into compartment I. Remembering the description of the operation as far as the flow of the liquor is governed by the openings in the walls 20 and 21 and the caps in contact with the same, and considering, as will be further described below, how the vessel is alternately rotated in opposite directions, an inspection of Figs. 3 and 4 will show that the liquor will return in the o posite direction through the same channe s into compartment I, if the rotation is reversed accord` ingly. y a

When vessel 1 is about to finish its first complete rotation and orifice 28 begins to 'register again with o ening 24 then vessel l is not properly supplied with liquor as some of the quor has been absorbed by the goods and in order to have enough of the liquor the rotation and the sup ly from the storage tank continues until t e connection through orifice 28 is cut off again by wall 20; at this point the valve in the supply pi e 29 from the tank is closed and prevents a urther supply( of liquor. The quantity of li uor now ta en entirely, fills compartment and is passed from the same to the next ad`oinn one, for instance compartment II, tiroug olpenings 35 and 31, coming into registry, t e liquor passing through opening 36 into channel 10 to finally flow through openings 30 and 25 into compartment II. It is seen that the liquor now in compartment II, will flow to the next adjoining one, compartment III, and so on in the manner pointed out above.

It is a particular feature of the operation of my rocess that thefvessel does not continuous y rotate in one direction but may be reversed atcertain intervals dependent upon the particular circumstances of the case, the y periods of ieversion not necessarily being equally as long as the preceding periods, but shorter or longer as the case may require. I prefer to operate in such manner that I shorten the period of reversion 90 decrees, as compared with the receding period, for instance'if I permit tie machine to make two complete revolutions I then reverse it and permit it to make only 1% revolutions inthe reveise direction. Whenever the vessel starts to rotate in the reverse direction caps 18 and 19 follow the rotation of the vessel for an angle of 90, that is until knob or projection 49 comes into contact with flange 50, and thus both caps have at certain intervals a sort of Swingin motion similar to that of a pendulum. f t ie vessel reverts for a l revolution and the caps follow for an angle 90 it is easil l seen that during this reverse rotation the liquor passes through the com artnients in the o posite direction to that (escribed above an that at the end of the 1&1 rotation ipe 29, or its orifice 2S, is in connection wit i o enin A 26 of compartment III, whereas at t ie ot ier end no communication is, or could be established as the openings through wall 21 forming entrances to cap 19 are shut from connection with com artment III.

Il ien the operation has come to an end the liquor is withdrawn during the rotation of the vessel by opening valve 48,in connection with cap 19 and thus with shell 10, so that the liquor may run out. In doing this I let the vessel rotate alternately in- ,f

the manner just described above, preferring, however, by manipulationfof stop 54, to let the caps 18 and 19 follow the rotation for 90 and 180 respectively, whereby I am able to open one compartment and to brin" it, by means of shell 10, in connection with valve 48, and to shut it off, while the next following compartment enters into connecthis compartment contains all the liquor,

then the operation of discharging the liquor from the vessel is started by reversing the vessel and it is seen that during the rotation for the first 90 no li uor may leave compartment I, but during illie rotation for the second 90 there will obviously be a moment when opening 30 and opening 24 regis ter while openings 3l and 35 are in their original position. At this moment the liquor discharges from compartment I through openings 30 and 37 into channel 10 to flow through it into cap 19 and to leave through valve 48% At the end of this rotation of 180" compartment I is now empty as far asthe liquor is concerned, which may freely -run out; but it is also seen that this com- -rotation of the vessel is reversed at will to facilitate draining ofl'I the liquor retained by the goods.

The operation of treating goods with liquids almost always requires a subsequent washing of the goods with water and in vregard to this operation I would state that it may be performed in the same way as described for the liquor, the water, being admitted through pipe 29 into the compartment -I and from there into all the other compartments so that the vessel is pretty nearly completely filled, only a little air remaining in the vessel as otherwise the circulation of the washing water would be almost stopped. To perlnit the admission of water into the vessel a branch pipe (not shown) for water is `connected with pipe 29 and the flow of either liquor or water is regulated by suitable valves.

Invthe description ofthe apparatus and the process and in the claims, where I use the word fluid I mean to include under this term not only liquids but gases as well. I do not restrict myself to the details of either the process or the apparatus, further than the scope of the appended claims demands, as is is obvious that the same may be greatly varied without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. The method of treating goods with fluids, consisting in packing the goods in separate compartments within a rotary vessel, introducing the fluid into one compartment and thence circulating it` to another compartment and causing it to percolate through the goods in the several compartments.

2. -The method of treating goods with` fluids, consisting in packingr the goods in separate compartments within a rotary vessel, removing the air from the compartments to be packed, and introducing the fluid into one compartment and thence circulating it to another compartment and causing it to percolate through the goods in the several compartments.

3. The method of treating goods with fluids, consisting in packing the goods in separate compartments within a vessel, introducing the fluid into a compartment and discharging it against the goods in a plurality of streams extending throughout the entire length of the vessel, rotating the vessel on its longitudinal axis during'such discharge, and circulating the fluid from one compartment to another in succession.

4. The method of treating goods with fluids, consisting in packing the goods in separate compartments within a vessel, introducing the fluid into a compartment and discharging it against the goods in a plurality of streams extending throughout the entire length of the vessel, rotating the ves sel on its longitudinal axis during su'ch discharge, and circulating the fluid from one compartment to another in succession in the direction of the length of the vessel.

5. The method of treating goods with fluids consisting in packing the interior of a vessel with goods, subdividing the goods in the vessel in separate compartments thereof, spreading the goods over channels extending throughout the compartments, introducmg a fluid into said vessel, discharging said fluid into the compartments in a plurality of small streams and rotating the vessel during said discharge first in oney direction and then in the other.'

6.- The method of treating goods with fluids consisting in packing the interior of a vessel with goods, subdividing the goods in the vessel in separate compartments, circulating a fluid from one compartment to another and discharging the same into the respective compartments in a plurality of small streams, rotating the vessel during said discharge and at intervals reversing the rotation for a predetermined portion of a revolution.

7. An apparatus. for treating goods with fluids comprising a container capable of being rotated, partitions dividing the inside of the container into a plurality of chambers, means for communication between the chambers, and longitudinal channels within the chambers havmg connection with saidcommunication means and rovided with a plurality of openings disc arging it into said chambers.

8. An apparatus for treating goods with fluids comprising a container capable of being rotated, partitions dividing the inside ofthe container into a plurality of chambers, means for communication between the chambers, and a plurality of longitudinal channels within each yof said chambers adjacent said partitions, one on each side of each partition, in connection with said comion munication means and each channel provided with a. plurality of openings connecting it with its respective chamber.

9. An apparatus for treating goods with fluids comprising` a container capable of being.,r rotated, partitions dividing` the inside of the container into a plurality of ohanibers, a centrallongitudinal chamber, an annular chamber at each end of said last named chamber in communication with it and lon ritudinal channels in the chambers formed y the artitions in communication with said annu ar chambers and provided with a plurality of openings disehar ring into said chambers formed by the'partitions.

10. An apparatus for treating goods with fluids comprising a contain'er i'ipable of being rotatei, partitions dividing the inside of the container .into a plurality oft chambers, means for communication between the chambers during rotation iii-either direction, longitudinal channels within the chambers having.` connection with said communication means and provided with a pluralit of openings discharging into sait cham iers, means for rotating said container in either direction and means for predetermining the extent of rotation in one direction.

'In testimony whereof I have signed this specification.

Hanns- Rf. ANDERS. 

